Wall-outlet box



- P. TEMPLE WALL-OUTLET Box June :1953

Filed Oct. 9, 1950 Patented June 16, 1953 2,642,291, #P E' I emple,willia ms Columbia, c ses.

" Application October 9,1950;Serial'No; lll,159 1 1: x:

. This invention relates to wall-outlet'boxes} fih jectsfof the invention are? To provide means for-firmly olamping 'oue let boxes, jadapted to" contain electric switches,

expeditiously anddirectly-to a wall without the I In Canada May 23, 1950 a slot -formed, inthe backi wall;, 2 (Fig.2), These lugs and slotsact as hinges on whichuse of any attaching meanspenetrating' the wall.

I 2. To' design a particular construction of boxto carry out the objects ,of this invention.

A box within this invention comprises a body consisting of a back wall and two side walls integral therewith; removable end plates or walls removably associated with said box body and sprung into stable relationship with said back and side walls to close the ends thereof, plates integrally formed with each end plate or wall each of which plates carries a screw lying parallel thereto adjacent the outer side thereof, and

a plate threaded on each of. saidscrews and lying parallel to the plates carried by said end plates or walls whereby thebox is directly clamped to the wall, as hereinafter more particularly explained. s

Fig. 1 is a view of the box clamped to a wall, the usual cover plate not being shown.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2, Fig.1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3,

Fig.2. a

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the bottom of the box, and

. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view showmg one end plate of the box clamped to the wall, and the other end plate ready to be moved on its hinges and clamped to the wall.

In the drawings, like characters of reference refer to the same parts.

V The box is preferably made of iron of the usual gauge, though the drawings, for clearness of illustration, show the various parts of the box made of heavier gauge. 7 The box body consists of a back wall 2,"provided withthe usual knock outs, and side walls 3,

which may also be provided with knock outs (not shown) if desired. I

Each wall 3, is provided at'each end with an ea h e dr ate rwe 6.- sm ve ,Ea'cjii em: or a. plate Oman seeded; at

i i ner end with a pair of spaced lugs 1. When a et s fi ly placed its' llgs I, eachenter As shown the placed lugs 1, overlie the wall 2. Each side wall 3, near each corner thereof, is provided with an inwardly-extending lug l6 (Fig. 3) so that as the plates 6,,are moved into final position they will snap by the lugs 16, and

be snugly held against the flanges 4, and 5.

Projecting :beyond the inner surfaces of the side walls 3, are spaced pairs of lugs 9. These lugs limit the inward movement of the plates '6, towards each other.

Each plate or wall 6, is provided. at its outer end with an outward horizontal flange Ill. Each ofthese flanges carries a pair of spaced metal screws ll. A plate l2, has threaded engagement with a pair of screws H, behind each flange l0, and each has a sliding contact with a plate or wall 6. e

To mount the box, ahole I3, is cut in the wall I4, of the same size as the box. Before the box can be mounted the walls or plates 6, with their clamping devices, are placed within the box body each in the position shown at the bottom of Fig. 6, with the flange I0, and plate l2, spaced well apart. The box is then placed in the wall M, to occupy the hole l3, and then one wall or plate 6, is pivoted on its lugs 1, and moved into the position shown at the top ofIFigure 6, so

l that the wall [4, adjacent this end will 'be located between the flange I0, and the plate l2. By tightening the screws 1 l, the plate I2, is brought snugly into contact with the inner side of the I wall [4 and the flange I0, is drawn inwardly the wall 1 means that penetrate the wall.

exterior flange 4, for the full size thereof, and f the wall 2 is provided at each end with a flange 5, extending from one flange 4, to the other; 7 The flanges 4 and 5 are in alignment.

To close each end of the box body, removable end plates or walls 6, are used. When these plates or walls 6, are in final position they are held snugly against the flanges 4, and 5, and hence the switch (not shown) is safely boxed.

into close contact with the outer side of the wall M (Fig. 2). Thus these elements straddle the thickness of the wall material.

By manipulating the other end wall or plate 6, as described, the box will be fully clamped-to l4, without the use of any attaching Holes [5, are formed in receive the screws used .to (not shown) to the box.

the flanges m, to

By means of this invention wall-boxes of this 5 i type are mounted in place firmly and securely and without any possibility'of 'the grip of the clamping. means impairing the wall.'

Fastening means, such as screws and nails now commonly used to fasten outlet boxes inplace 1invariably. injure the wallrand ultimately work .oose.

attach the cover plate I While herein is described and illustrated the preferred form of invention it is obvious that various changes in construction of the box body and its parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

1. In combination a wall-outlet box comprising a body consisting of an end apertured back wall provided at each end thereof with an exterior flange, said apertures being adjacent eachflange, and two side walls integral with saidback wall, each end of the side walls being provided with an inwardly-extending flange iying on-i' tactingly in alignment with the corresponding end flange of said back wall and furth-erproyided with an inwardly-extending lug in spaced relationship to said side wall end flanges; movable end plates, each provided at its inner end with a pair of external lugs positioned in the apertures in said back wall to form hinges therewith, the said end plates adapted to snap by the lugs carried by said side walls into contact with the flanges of said side walls-and the flanges of said back wall to close the ends of said box; an external flange carried by each end plate and screws in parallel relationship to the flanges carried by said end plates and adapted to be clamped against the underside of said supporting wall.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 'wherein the side walls are provided with lugs adapted to limit the movement towards each other of the end plates when they are being manipulated to attach the box to a wall.

V V PI-HLIJP TEMPLE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STAT-IE8 PATENTS Number ,Name Date 1,003,107 Heyman Sept. 12, 1911 1,791,311 Hamblen e Feb. 3, 1931 1,813,31 Gilmore Aug. 11, 1931- 1,,978AG1 Burton Oct. 30, 1934 1942 2 299,696 Gregersen Oct. 20, 

